Favorite Teams

England's Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring a goal against Uruguay, but England lost 2-1 and they were eliminated from advancing to the round of 16 in the tournament. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
(Kirsty Wigglesworth)

They haven't won the title in nearly 60 years, but English soccer fans always seem to think they're going to win the World Cup.

After all, didn't soccer begin in England?

That type of thinking was no different when England began the 2014 World Cup. Fans of the "Three Lions" assumed another long run in the tournament was a given. Not this year. England was knocked out of the tournament after just two games - losses to Italy and Uruguay sealed the team's fate in the group stage, prompting a period of anguish and finger pointing throughout the nation.

"I know how upset they are," said Timbers winger Steve Zakuani, who grew up in London. "To go out after two games, I'm sure that's hard for the country."

Zakuani knows all too well the fanatical fans who live and die soccer in England. England not only lay claim to soccer's origins, they also say that their top league, the English Premier League, is the best in the world.

"You grow up in England, all you know is football. There's nothing else. You don't share your allegiance with anything. Kids grow up there with the national team in their blood," Zakuani said. "The fans, they kick every ball with the team. They head every ball. They make every tackle."

England's ouster marked the first time they have been eliminated in the group stage since 1958. England reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by Germany in the 2010 World Cup.